


Even If You Can't See Me

by stiny



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-05
Updated: 2013-03-05
Packaged: 2017-12-04 10:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/709705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stiny/pseuds/stiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claude is still learning to deal with raising Claire, and comes to a very serious conclusion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even If You Can't See Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of "Father Material" because there were a few people who wanted me to do more. Hope you like it!

A year and a half later... 

"Oi, you've just stopped cryin', and now you're at it again? You're supposed t'be sleepin', little bear." Claude frowned as he sat on the edge of the pink comforter draped across Claire's bed. Everything was pink. God, he was tired of pink. Maybe she'd turn out to be a tomboy in a few years, wouldn't that be a relief? 

Noah silently entered the room, moving to stand beside Claude, just as the adopted father was reaching to pull Claire into his lap. "I read somewhere that you're supposed to just let them cry." 

Claude shot his partner a pointed look. "Y'mean, Sandra read it and told you about it, yeah?" He ignored the comment and let Claire curl up on his lap, her little blonde head against his chest. 

"Yeah," grumbled Bennet, putting his hand on Claude's shoulder. "But you remember what Kaito said about not getting attached. This would probably be a good time to start that." 

"Oh... c'mon. She's just a _child_ , and she's crying. I can't just ignore her. 'S human nature, mate." He was trying not to sound defensive, but it was hard. Of course, he wasn't just a human, but an evolved human, and there was a great possibility that Claire was evolved as well. This child, this little girl before him, could have an ability just as he did. That in itself made him feel a kinship toward her that he hadn't expected to cement itself so soon. 

"It'll be easier in the long run, Claude. If she manifests, it'll be easier to say goodbye and return her to the Company." Noah's words sounded cold in comparison to Claude's thoughts, thoughts he couldn't even bring himself to share with his partner. There was no way Bennet could understand, he could never put himself in this situation and sympathize with what Claude was feeling. 

Part of it, he supposed, was the fact that he'd been _chosen_ to raise her, _trusted_ to care for her, however temporary their time together might be. That counted for something, even if Claude Rains did his best to avoid people, the fact that he was trusted with the safety of a child meant something to him.

Even now he struggled with his promise to bring her in, should she manifest. What if she ended up with something harmless? What if she could go invisible, like _him_? Hell, regardless, he had enough experience with training those like him that he felt confident he could keep her from being a danger to herself and to others, should it become an issue. 

Maybe Claude was jumping the gun, putting the cart before the horse, but his time as an agent taught him that he could never be too prepared. And now, in this moment, he was prepared. 

Even deep in thought as he was, he realized she'd fallen asleep, and gently laid her back in bed, pulling the ~~horrible~~ pink comforter up around her. Noah turned to walk out of the room, not wanting to wake Claire now that the toddler had finally drifted off. 

Claude tucked her in, brushed his lips against her forehead. "No more cryin', little bear. You've got me now, luv, 'm gonna protect ya," he vowed. He absolutely intended to keep her safe, whether it was from the dangers of the world or from the very Company he worked for.

"I'll always be there, even if ya can' see me."


End file.
